Movie Review: Trance

09/04/2013 , 4:32 PM by Meghan Woods

By Christian Horgan

Director Danny Boyle's name sparked some immediate excitement and expectations about this film. He's the man who made being stuck in a cave for '127 Hours' exciting, and shone the golden glow of 8 Oscars on a 'Slumdog Millionaire'. If you haven't seen any of his films, you might remember him from such moments as the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games. Yes, he created that too.

The movie opens in an upmarket auction house. Staff member Simon (James McAvoy) walks and talks us through the procedures should there be a robbery. The resonating message, don't be a hero, no work of art is worth dying for. Then, sure enough, a heist takes place, he plays the hero, but a Goya painting worth millions is stolen.

Cue the first plot twist&hellip; the robber who hides the Goya gets hit on the head, and can't remember where the prize is stashed. When threats and torture don't turn up the treasure, the team resorts to consulting a hypnotherapist (hence the name Trance). Let the mind games begin.

With all the twists and turns, this film could become a total mess in the hands of a lesser director. As a viewer, you have two choices, disengage the mind and get nothing but frustration from this movie, or suspend disbelief and go along for the ride. If you choose the latter, you'll find yourself trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together at the end. I was fully engaged at the start of the film, detached a bit in the middle, but then Danny Boyle roped me back in as he wove the threads together. I found myself still in my seat, deep in conversation with a fellow reviewer, 10 minutes after the final credits had rolled.

This is a very seductive and stylish film, not your average heist caper. Rosario Dawson might seduce you into a trance as the hypnotherapist, but Vincent Cassel will knock you back to reality as the brutal underworld boss. Sex and violence both make an impression in this film, and all the performances are great. While not Danny Boyle's best film (that would be asking a lot), Trance certainly has its place amongst his very intriguing slate. I'm giving this 3.5 stars.